TITUSVILLE, Fla. — A 27-year-old paramedic from North Carolina was killed on a Florida interstate Saturday after stopping to help a driver who was hit and killed while exiting his vehicle after a crash, FHP says.
Mary Jolly is being hailed as a good Samaritan for stopping on I-95 in Brevard County to help the driver. The Gaston County EMS department is mourning her loss.
A 33-year-old Port St. Lucie man was driving a 2019 Chevy Impala when he moved from the center lane into the outside lane and struck a Volkswagen, according to the Florida Highway Patrol. Troopers say the impact sent the Volkswagen into a ditch as the Impala veered onto the inside shoulder and hit the concrete median and stopped inside the northbound lane.
FHP said the Impala driver stepped out of his vehicle moments before two northbound vehicles, a Hyundai Elantra and an Audi A4, approached in the inside lane. Both drivers reportedly swerved to avoid the wreck, but the Hyundai struck the disabled Impala and then hit the Port St. Lucie man, throwing him into the roadway, where he was struck again by the Audi.
According to state troopers, Jolly and her wife were driving on I-95 when this happened and stopped to help the injured driver.
After Jolly got out of her car, she was hit in the center lane by a Nissan Murano as both she and that driver attempted to avoid one another, according to FHP.
She was airlifted to the hospital and later died from her injuries.
FHP said all the drivers involved stayed on scene.
The crash is under investigation.